A Key Solution for Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB) Composting

On the path towards sustainable development in the oil palm industry, efficiently handling the vast amounts of agricultural waste—Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB)—has always been a core challenge. Traditional composting methods struggle with this material due to its coarse fibers and bulky, porous structure. The emergence of the chain compost turner provides a specialized solution for such difficult-to-process materials, becoming a key (key tool/solution) for realizing the resource utilization of OPEFB.
The structural characteristics of the chain compost turner perfectly match the physical properties of OPEFB. OPEFB features long, coarse fibers, is loose and porous, yet its tightly bound structure makes it hard to break down. The chain compost turner employs a robust chain plate transmission mechanism, consisting of a powerful drive unit, heavy-duty chains, and a series of regularly arranged turning plates. As the machine moves along the fermentation trough, the high-speed operating chain plates "cut" deeply into the several-meter-high OPEFB windrow with significant mechanical force, forcibly breaking up clumps of fibrous material, lifting them, and then dropping them from a certain height.
This unique working method brings multiple key benefits to OPEFB composting:
The powerful mechanical force effectively breaks down the OPEFB fiber structure, increasing the surface area and promoting microbial colonization and decomposition.
The resulting parabolic curtain of material ensures thorough aeration, which is crucial for composting, guaranteeing that aerobic microorganisms receive sufficient oxygen—vital for decomposing the high lignin and cellulose content in OPEFB.